We're All Searching
by JimmyFightingBack
Summary: This is my first fan fic, so be gentle. It takes place after the events of KH2 tells the story, told in first person present tense, like an inner narration, of a young native of Traverse Town who gets to adventure through the KH universe to help a friend.


My story begins at the end of a chapter. I've spent my entire life here in Traverse Town. It's a pleasant town, if a little gloomy, but hey, it's my home. At least, it has been. After today, perhaps it won't be anymore.

I'm currently walking back towards my house. I've been out all day (what passes for day in these parts) saying my goodbyes. I have one more to say before I take off. This last one is the one that scares me the most. I suppose if you could see me now, you'd be able to tell. I'm walking slowly, hands in the pockets of my slightly-torn jeans, looking down at the sidewalk below my feet. If you were walking beside me, you could probably even hear the sad little melody I'm humming. It's some old folk tune. Wish I could name it for you.

I'm almost there. The walk down these stairs, past the little fountain is less than a block from my home in the 2nd District. I guess I can't put it off forever.

As I reach the fountain, I hear a clatter on the walk above me and to my right. I turn in that direction and go for the sword in the sheath on my left. I stop when I see a cat on the ground in front of one of the shops. It must have fallen from the roof. Poor thing. It really scared me, though. I suppose I should have known better, though. Since those things (the Heartless, Merlin called them) left, this town has gone back to being as boring as ever.

I remember when they first came here those few years ago. My first encounter with them was when I, at the time only fifteen, was walking with my dad back from the item shop. One of the small ones that seemed so abundant had appeared in front of us and had gone for my dad. I blocked it and tried to fight back, but couldn't do a thing with just my hands. I was saved by a small, but skilled (and pretty cute, if I may say so) ninja girl, who called herself Yuffie. I'd be seeing a lot of her and her friends over the next few months.

After that incident, I decided to go find Merlin, the wizard who had come from another world (I later found out, it was the same as Yuffie and her friends' world) to make his temporary home in Traverse Town. With directions from a fellow named Leon, one of Yuffie's crew, I found his house. I went up to his door, soaking wet from failing multiple times to cross the moat that seemed to surround his shack, and knocked on the side of his house, as there was no proper door. He opened his curtain and invited me in.

"Welcome, welcome!" he said jollily, in a charming, whimsical way that made me grin slightly. "Your name is Isaac, right? I've seen you in town."

"Yes sir." I said back, in the reserved tone that I use for people I like, respect, or think can help me. He was becoming all three. "Sorry to disturb you, sir, but I was wondering if you could tell me anything about these strange shadow creatures that have appeared in town."

He explained to me what the Heartless were, and that it was said that there would soon be a hero to come and vanquish them, but that for a while, they would probably be present, and a danger to the town. This led me to my second question.

"I'd like to help fight them, so I can protect my dad and my friends, but I have no weapon. I was wondering if you had anything that I could use." I said, expecting him to say no and send me on my way.

"Well, let me see." he said, much to my surprise. He then began digging in his bag, which seemed to hold an unending array of exciting things. He threw around mysterious baubles and devices from worlds I could only imagine, and for one moment seemed to pull out a yak before frantically stuffing it back in. Finally, he pulled out the sword that he would give to me.

"While it may not be the blade of my old friend Arthur," he said, with a touch of distant longing in his voice, "it is a fine sword. It's been enchanted so that it can only harm things that intend to harm others. It cannot kill a human, though could seriously injure one, and could take out a Heartless in a heartbeat, in the hands of a brave wielder." He gave me the sword, and even taught me some fire magic before I left.

I'd spend the better part of the next year fighting beside Leon and Yuffie to protect us all against the Heartless. I also spent a lot of time with my dad, making sure he and my house were safe. I'd occasionally go see Merlin, who seemed to like me and would teach me tricks and show me fun artifacts from forgotten worlds.

Apparently at one point, the hero, the keyblade bearer, came and went, and fought some epic battle, all while I was making sure my dad was safe, as by that point, the heartless situation was entirely out of hand. The whole thing ended just over two years ago, and I haven't heard from any of my old friends since.

That is, until two days ago. That's enough past for now, though. Here in the present, I seem to have just reached home.

The first sight I see upon opening the door to my house is an old man in an arm chair with both his arms and legs crossed. He's scowling hard except for his light green eyes (the contrast to my deep blue ones) which reveal that he's really very sad. Sad to see me go. For an old man, he's retained his hair color. It's the same dark red as mine, but while mine falls down around my shoulders in thick curls, his now exists in an orbit around the middle of his head.

"Howdy, Dad." I say, in an attempt to calm him down before the inevitable line that follows.

"Isaac, you're such a piece of garbage." he says quietly, but angrily. I knew it was coming. I'm quite used to it. "You're just gonna leave an old man here, when there's God-knows-what knockin' at the door at all hours of the night, waitin' ta drag me into the shadows?"

"I'll miss you too, Dad." I say, trying not to cry, and trying not to yell. "I've made sure that Mya, the woman next door will be by to check on you regularly. She's good company. I'm sorry I have to go, but I figure it's about time for me to leave this town anyway. Had to happen sometime, ya know? I have to get something out of my room, and then I have to be off. Be right back down."

I climb the stairs to my room, really starting to cry now. On the table in my room is the note I received from Merlin. It reads:

"Dear Isaac,

I require your assistance with a matter. I know you have the heart for it, and know you would like the opportunity. Plan to be away for a while. See you soon.

-Merlin"

On the back is coordinates to a world called Radiant Garden, as well as an address that I guess to be his. He doesn't tell me what I'm supposed to use to get there, so I plan to use the old spare Gummi Ship of Cid's that should still be in the hiding place below his old shop. I head back downstairs.

Dad is standing at the bottom. I look him in the eyes for a minute. We're both sobbing. Unexpectedly, he throws his arms around me and hugs me like he hasn't since I was little. He then pulls back and looks me in the eyes again. "Get the Hell outta here before I change my mind. Maybe you can do a little more good in some other world. "

"Thanks, Dad." I reply, "I love you too."

I make my way to the accessory shop and the take secret entrance along the side in the alley. Sure enough, the ship's still down there. It's time to take off to a new world. I'm scared. I'm excited. I'm probably not ready, but here it goes. I'm surrounded by lights and floating celestial objects, and there's no turning back.

My landing in Radiant Garden is smooth enough, but I'm not ready for the world I step into upon leaving the ship.

The world around me is bright. It's mid afternoon, and the sun is shining down hard. The sun rarely shines in Traverse Town, and as such my eye and pale white skin are not accustomed to all this light.

When I'm finally adjusted enough to see, I can tell that I've come down right outside some kind of business district. There are shops of all sorts. They're selling armor, weapons, potions, you name it. A few of them seem to be operated by the young ducks that used to run the item shop in Traverse Town. Hopefully they won't be the only familiar faces I see today.

I walk around for a while, trying not to stare at all the people. The whole town seems to have a sense of newness. Like everything was torn apart and freshly replaced. That might be the case. I stop off at a clothing store and purchase a long sleeved black shirt, to replace my short sleeved blue one, a new pair of jeans without holes, a pair of boots, and a pair of gloves. This will all get quite hot very quickly, but it should keep me from getting sunburned in this new sun I've found, which should be setting in a few hours anyway, but better to be safe.

After a few hours of exploring, I find the home the Merlin gave me the address for. With anticipation, I knock. The door opens, and an old man with a long white beard wearing a blue robe and matching hat opens it.

"Merlin!" I exclaim with glee, "I'm so happy to see you! Do tell me what's going on."

Merlin leads me in. "It's good to see you again too, young friend. You're almost here at the perfect time, as well. I'm sure you're wondering what task I might have for you, and come sundown, I'll show you. Now, won't you join me on the roof?"

Merlin opens his bag, which is setting on a table in the middle of the room. He waves his wand, and up from the bag comes a spiral staircase, and a door opens on his ceiling where it ends. I do love magic. I follow him up, and try to make some conversation.

"Are the others here? You know, Leon and Cid and Aerith and…Yuffie." I ask the last with a little lump in my throat.

"Yes indeed," replies Merlin. "They're all over there." He points off to the north of his roof as we reach the top of the stairs. I look off to see the towers of a distant castle.

"That castle," says Merlin "used to belong to the dark sorceress Maleficent. It seems to be the last place in this world where Heartless are coming from. They're trying to clear it out, and hopefully, make it inhabitable."

"I see," I say back, as I turn around to look at Merlin, but instead my eyes fall to something beside him.

On Merlin's right is statue. It's a muscular figure, with wings extending far off its back, and a long tail. It's hunkered down in a "thinker" position and looks to have shoulder length hair. How curious.

"Does my task involve this?" I ask and point at the stone figure.

"Yes, but at the moment you can't understand what all that entails. I'll explain fully in a few moments, when he can help me."

I stand up there with Merlin for a few more minutes of confusion. Just as the sun finishes setting, and I get ready recommend that we go in, the statue starts to crack, except, it's not breaking.

The creature stands and spreads its arms and wings, lets off a mighty roar and shakes off the stone. It has come to life.

I go for my sword instinctively. I stand ready to pounce of the creature, but it has folded its wings across its chest, and is standing peacefully next to Merlin, watching me.

"What…is it," I say, very confused and a little afraid still.

Instead of Merlin answering, the creature replies in a deep, very intelligent, if also very weary voice. "My kind are called Gargoyles."

"You…talk." I say with total disbelief, but now want to try not to offend. "Well, what's your name?"

"My kind do not name each other, but humans have called me Goliath."

"So, Goliath, what do I need to do for you?"

Merlin comes in here. "Goliath is from a world very far from here. King Mickey, who I told about many times back in Traverse Town, met Goliath on one of his most recent adventures, while he was searching for Ansem the Wise. Goliath's castle, which he and his clan had shared with humans, had recently been attacked by an aggressive lot known as Vikings. The King, in his far reaching kindness agreed to aid Goliath in tracking these Vikings during the night, to prevent a day attack when his clan would be vulnerable. They discovered too late that the Vikings had doubled back and would be at the castle by sun up, which came before Goliath and King Mickey could return. The King went ahead, while Goliath was frozen, but arrived too late. All but five of the gargoyle clan had been crushed. King Mickey, thinking quickly, cast a spell to transport the remaining Gargoyles in the castle to another world, but he had to act so fast that he didn't know what world he sent them to."

I stand there for a moment, trying to take it all in. This thing…this man, lost everything in a day. His home and all his friends, gone. "I'm…sorry. I can't even imagine."

"This, Isaac, is where you come in!" says Merlin.

"What can I do?"

"The King came here a short time after leaving Goliath's world. He was distraught over what had happened, and wanted to take Goliath from one world to another, trying to find his friends. I knew the King's skills were much needed elsewhere, so I told him that I'd enlist someone to help. You said all the time back in Traverse Town that you wanted to see other worlds. Well, here's your chance!"

I stand there for a moment, thinking about what it would be like to lose Traverse Town to violent killers and have everyone I loved disappear. What else could I say?

"I'd love to! We'll leave first thing in the morning!"

"Perhaps tomorrow night instead," said Goliath. "I am stone by day, and cannot move."

"Okay then," I say back, grinning. "Tomorrow night it is!" I hold out my hand to shake his. He foregoes my hand, and instead grabs my wrist. I look at him. We look each other in the eyes for a moment, and my new friend Goliath grins back at me, showing his fangs, which in that smile don't even look menacing.

We get ready to go down the stairs to Merlin's house, when we hear a far off violent explosion. We all turn to see two giant dark masses coming from the castle towards the town.

"Those are Darkside Heartless!" cries Merlin. "They're by where the others are!"

I turn to Goliath. "Can you fly me over?"

"I cannot fly," he says. "I can only glide upon the air.

"Can you get me there?!"

"Yes." He says, and grabs me around my waste. He jumps off Merlin's roof, and I feel the air pull us up.

As we float close to the monstrosities I can see everything. These Heartless are gigantic, with disgusting faces that seem to have tentacles. Down below them, I can see Leon and Yuffie attacking them while Cid and Aerith stand behind. Leon sends fire blasts from his gunblade, while Yuffie fires her sheriken relentlessly. I draw my sword.

"Bring me in close!" I yell to Goliath. He does just that, and when I'm within striking distance, I bring down my sword into one of their faces. The Heartless rears back, and Goliath gives us some distance. This does not mean I have to stop fighting though. I point my sword at it.

"Fire!" I yell, and the magic that Merlin taught me kicks in as a ball of flame fires from the end of my sword, landing again in the Heartless's face. On the ground, Leon and Yuffie, apparently picking up on the strategy, focus their attacks on the same one I've been attacking. A few more attacks, and the first one dissolves into nothing, leaving a lone heart to float into the ether. One down, one to go.

"I can do my part if I let you down," says Goliath.

"Okay then, do it."

Goliath swoops low and lets me off on the ground. "Hey guys!" I say as he takes back off toward the monster's head.

"Isaac!" exclaims Aerith from behind me. "What are you doing here, and what is that?"

"It'll explain later." I say and look up to take aim. I have to stop myself however when I see Goliath latched onto the Heartless's face, digging his claws in while it wildly grabs for him. These Gargoyles are brave beings, for sure.

"Goliath, get away!" I yell from below. Goliath takes off. I aim my sword towards its head. I look to my right and see Yuffie standing next to me. She smiles and cocks her head to the side. I guess she's with me. "Fire!" I yell, and another burst of flame flies from my sword as Yuffie launches her star. They both make contact with its face at the same time. The Heartless disappears before it can touch its burning face.

After the battle, me, my reunited friends, and my new one walk back towards Merlin's house. As we walk, I explain Goliath's story and catch up on theirs.

After a while, Yuffie leans in toward me, in her typical slightly overbearing, but entirely charming fashion, and with her finger shaking in my face says, "Well, I hope you know that we could have gotten them without you." Then she turns away and puts her hands behind her head. "But, you know, thanks for the help."

I make my return to Merlin's house, and like my new friend, go to sleep with the sunrise, for tomorrow night, my new adventure begins.


End file.
